Briefings

Contractor news

J.P. Patti aids charity

J.P. Patti Co. Inc., Saddle Brook, N.J., a Tecta America company, recently partnered with NRCA's national charity partner, Washington, D.C.-based Rebuilding Together,® to perform reroofing work on a private residence in Queens Village, N.Y.

The work involved removing and replacing shingles that previously had been installed improperly on the home's roof system.

Rebuilding Together is a national nonprofit organization with a network of nearly 225 affiliates throughout the U.S. The organization preserves affordable housing by bringing volunteers and communities together to rehabilitate the homes of low-income homeowners.

CentiMark-sponsored car sets record

The CentiMark Land Speed Mustang, a Ford Mustang sponsored by CentiMark Corp., Canonsburg, Pa., has broken a world land speed record. Steve Benyo, the car's driver and owner, set the record for a production and street-legal Ford Mustang by driving 232 mph on a 5-mile track at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Wendover, Utah.

The car also is listed as the world's fastest V8 production car and fastest super-charged production car.

"CentiMark is proud to sponsor this race car," says Timothy M. Dunlap, CentiMark's president and chief operating officer. "We're excited for Steve and thrilled that the CentiMark name is associated with the world's fastest Mustang."

Delta Roofing acquires company

Delta Roofing, North Billerica, Mass., a Tecta America company, has acquired JCJ Services LLC, Glastonbury, Conn., and is opening a new location in East Berlin, Conn. The new location will service and install all commercial roof system types in Connecticut.

"I am impressed with Delta Roofing's dedication to providing the highest standards of workmanship, quality and service within the roofing industry," says Mark Santacrose, Tecta America's president and chief executive officer. "We are pleased to be able to offer their services to our customers in Connecticut."

Roofing contractor passes away

Frank Edward Lawson Sr., former chairman of The Lawson Roofing Co. Inc., San Francisco, passed away Sept. 23. He was 89.

Lawson was a former president of the Bay Area Counties Roofing Contractors Association and Westlake Catholic Men's Club. He served as a lieutenant in the Navy during World War II in New Guinea and was a member of the Serra Club, Knights of Columbus and Old Timers Athletic Association.

Lawson is survived by his daughter Marion; sons Frank Jr. and Richard; grandchildren Lori, Joe and Katie; great-grandchildren Dakota and Aubriana; and many other family members and friends.

Tecta America aids hurricane relief

Tecta America Corp., Skokie, Ill., sent equipment, resources, materials and personnel from all regions of the U.S. to the Texas hurricane zone to help with relief efforts after Hurricane Ike.

Tecta America began moving resources before Ike made landfall, and service crews, production crews and estimators partnered with local disaster response companies to service customers.

According to Tecta America, the company provides its Tecta-Response priority customers—which include national account customers—with repair crews and service personnel within 72 hours after a disaster occurs to assess roof system conditions and begin repairs.

Manufacturer news

Performance Roof Systems promotes green practices

Performance Roof Systems Inc., Kansas City, Mo., has named Richardson, Texas-based Texas Roof Management its first Derbigum Authorized Contractor (DAC) to achieve greenDAC status.

To qualify for greenDAC status, a roofing contracting company must be an existing DAC in good standing and meet pre-qualification guidelines based on financial stability, quality of workmanship and services provided to owners. The company must then complete an environmental and energy evaluation, which is divided into six sections and gauges the company's dedication to environmental policies.

Additionally, Performance Roof Systems announced it will construct a solar roof system at its manufacturing facility in Kansas City, Mo. The solar roof system will feature thin-film photovoltaic technology affixed to Performance Roof Systems' DerbiBrite roofing product and will serve as a demonstration product for those interested in solar roof systems.

The solar roof system will produce 19,200 watts of power that will be used to supplement load demand within the manufacturing facility. The system will be tied into the Kansas City Power & Light electricity grid, which will create the potential to sell power back to the utility.

EcoStar® introduces specification tool

Carlisle, Pa.-based EcoStar has added its installation tool to Shelton, Conn.-based ARCAT Inc.'s SpecWizard,® an online tool that allows architects to specify participating products in their designs. The online tool now allows architects to include EcoStar's recycled rubber roof tiles in project specifications.

"ARCAT is a respected tool that continues to gain popularity within the design community, and we are pleased to be participating with them through their SpecWizard program," says Tom Metoxen, EcoStar's manager of technical and warranty services. "Not only does this program increase EcoStar's exposure among the architectural community, but it also ensures that our materials are specified in the proper manner."

ARCAT's online project specification tools are available at www.arcat.com.

New Tech Machinery joins partnership

NRCA member New Tech Machinery, Denver, has partnered with Drexel Metals Corp., Ivyland, Pa., to offer a comprehensive engineered metal roofing package, which includes New Tech Machinery's SSQ™ quick-change MultiPro™ roll former and the Drexel Metals Association of Regional Manufacturers program.

According to Drexel Metals, the companies will be able to supply 13 metal roof systems.

BASF names new distributors

BASF Corp., Florham Park, N.J., has named two new distributors of its latex dispersions products in the U.S.

D.H. Litter Co., Elmsford, N.Y., is now the exclusive distributor of BASF Acronal,® Acronal Optive,® Butofan,® Butonal,® Styrofan® and Styronal® latex dispersion products sold to the architectural coatings, construction, adhesives and other markets in Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia and West Virginia.

GMZ Inc., West Chester, Ohio, is now the exclusive distributor of Acronal, Acronal Optive, Butofan, Butonal, Styrofan and Styronal latex dispersion products sold to the architectural coatings, construction, adhesives and other markets in Kentucky, Michigan and Ohio.

Owens Corning introduces business solutions

Toledo, Ohio-based Owens Corning recently launched a set of business solutions to help its building materials customers leverage their current customer base for noninsulation home improvements to expand into the re-insulation market and/or accelerate their current re-insulation businesses.

Part of Owens Corning's business solutions is the company's Top of the House™ Certified Preferred Contractor Program, which allows roofing contractors to add insulation in an attic at the same time a homeowner is upgrading his or her roof system's exterior appearance and performance.

Owens Corning's business solutions incorporate products, marketing and sales tools; Owens Corning AttiCat® Expanding Blown-In PINK Fiberglas™ Insulation; and portable AttiCat Expanding Blown-In PINK Fiberglas Insulation machine.

The Garland Co. wins awards

The Garland Co. Inc., Cleveland, has won the Greater Cleveland Safety Council's 2007 Safety and Hygiene Award. The award was co-sponsored by the Ohio Bureau of Worker's Compensation and honors The Garland Co. for its safe and healthy work environment.

The Garland Co. also recently won The Entrepreneurs EDGE's EDGE Award and Inside Business's Northeast Ohio Success Award.

"These recent awards demonstrate that midsized companies, such as The Garland Co., play a vital role in transforming the economies of rust-belt regions such as northeast Ohio," says Dave Sokol, The Garland Co.'s president.

The industry online

The Roofing Industry Committee on Weather Issues Inc. has redesigned www.ricowi.com to include downloadable weather investigation reports, weather-related documents, weather investigation photos and past seminar PowerPoint presentations.

Other news

ASSE introduces scholarships

The American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) Foundation has introduced eight new scholarships that will be available for the 2009 academic year.

ASSE's new scholarships include the Texas Safety Foundation Scholarship and Charlie Darnell HSE Memorial Scholarship sponsored by the Texas Safety Foundation, each worth $2,500; the $2,000 Keith Bain Scholarship sponsored by the Middle Tennessee Chapter; the $1,500 Linda and Brad Giles Scholarship; and the Columbia-Willamette Chapter President Scholarship, Greater Chicago Chapter Scholarship, New England Area Future Leadership Award and Puget Sound Chapter ASSE Scholarship, each worth $1,000.

The scholarships are available to students pursuing degrees in occupational safety and health, safety engineering, safety management, occupational health nursing, occupational medicine, risk management, ergonomics, industrial hygiene, fire safety, environmental safety, environmental health and other safety-related fields.

The application deadline for ASSE scholarships is Dec. 1.

Other ASSE scholarships also are available. For more information, visit www.asse.org/foundation.

ARMA revises technical bulletins

The Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association (ARMA) has reviewed and revised its 13 Residential Roofing Technical Bulletins.

ARMA's updated technical bulletins provide information about installation techniques, roof system maintenance, creative applications, damage prevention, seasonal handling of materials, nailing recommendations, storage and safety.

ARMA also has updated two low-slope roofing technical bulletins: Cold Weather Application Recommendations for Built-Up Roofing and Cold Weather Applications for Modified Bitumen Roofing.

Additionally, ARMA has introduced its Exemplary Service Award, a new award created to recognize Joe Hobson, former director of communications and member services for ARMA and the Roof Coatings Manufacturers Association. Hobson retired in 2007.

The Exemplary Service Award honors Hobson for his outstanding service, personal dedication and commitment to advancing the asphalt roofing industry.

Up the ladder

Bob Muehlenbrock has been named ATAS International Inc.'s territory manager for Missouri, eastern Kansas and southern Illinois. Derek Savage has been named territory manager for North Carolina and South Carolina.

Bostik Inc.'s Construction & Distribution Division has named Jim Downing market manager of construction sealants and adhesives and carpet, vinyl and cement patch products. Brian Kelley has been named south region sales manager; Tom Mylott has been named north region sales manager; and Rick Tredwell has been named west region sales manager.

Dow Roofing Systems has appointed Andy Smith site leader and production leader for its Westfield, N.C., manufacturing plant.

GenFlex Roofing Systems has named Don Henderson Northeast territory sales representative and Chuck Steiner Gulf states territory sales manager.